Flexible wire



Nov. 8, 1938. v. D. DAvlGNoN FLEXIBLE WIRE Filed May 23, 1936 30 Fig 3 is a cross section taken substantially through a swaging devic'e by which two distinct 3o Patented Nov. 8, 1938 l Y y UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE FLEXIBLE WIRE Victor D. Davgnon, North Attleboro, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Metals & Controls Corporation, Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 23, 1936, serial No. 81,471

1 claim. (ol. sii- 52) This invention relates to exible wire, and with front end of the temple butt I, there is provided regard to certain more specic features, to flexa temple joint by Whieh the temple pleCe iS ible wire adapted particularly for use in eyeglass Connected to the lens frame. 'I'he templeloutt` frames, in the temple bow portions of the temple i and the temple bOW 3 are joined together by a 5 pieces thereof. tapered welded region indicated `by numeral l. 5

Among the several objects of the invention The present invention is particularly concerned may be noted the provision of flexible wire of with the construction of the temple bow 3, which the class described which has all the desired chariS made of fleXible Wile- It Will be understood acteristics of flexibility, resiliency, smooth surthat the eXible Wire of the present invention face and the like, but which ai; the same time has utility outside of the eld of eyeglass frames', 10 is not easily eorredibie, as by the perspiration but since this is the eld in which it nds its of the wearer of the eyeglasses. Other objects most particular Usage, it Will be deSCriloed mOIe will be in part obvious and in part pointed out particularly With relation t0 Said field. hereinafter, The structure of the flexible wire of the temple l5 The invention accordingly comprises the oiebow 3 is indicated in Figure 2. It will be seen l5 ments and combinations of elements,v features of that it oompriSeS a Central Core Wire 9 Which construction, and arrangements of parts which runs throughout the length 0f the temple bOW e will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter .3- A Series of Wires iliUSnallY although not neodesoribed, and the scope of the application of eSSnriiy four in number, are Wrapped in one diwhich will be indicated in the following claim. rection about the @Ore Wire 9 in n layer 0f unit 20 In the accompanying drawing, in Whiohis illusthickness. Then around this group of wires Il, trated one of various possible embodiments of. but in tho Contrary direction, are Wrapped anthe invention, other series of wires I3, likewise usually but not.

Fig, 1 is a, side elevation of a temple piece of necessarily four in number, and in unit thickv an eyeglass frame; ness. For example, in the embodiment shown in 25 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, greatly Fig 2i the WTS H are Wrapped in a Counter' enlarged, of a flexible Wire made in accordance clockwise direction while the wires I3 are wrapped with the present invention, at a preliminary stage in a Clockwise drectionof its manufacture; The bundle of wires thus formed is then passed along line 3 3 of Fig. 2; operations are accomplished. In the rst place,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, greatly 'the Slt/aging hammers 01' forms the Outer Wrap enlarged, of a substantially finished nexible wire pine 0f Wires i3 into a Substantially unbroken, made in accordance with the present invention; Smooth Surface which provides a Smooth Outer 235 and, texture to Contact the skin of the wearers ears.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken substantially ,This Smooth outer surface is indicated by nualong line 5-5 of Fig. 4. moral I5l in Figure 4, and from said figure, it will Similar reference characters indicate correbe Seen that the lineS between adjacent WireS i3 spending parts throughout the several Views of are S0 reduced that they comprise only en almost the drawing. imperceptible groove. In the second place, the 4o Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there SWaging locks together the outer layer of Wires is illustrated a temple piece for eyeglass frames. i3, the inner layer li and, the Core Wire 9, aS a This temple piece is used by attaching it to the result of the-hammering, So that the entire a5." lens frames and, when the eyeglasses are used, Selnbiy iS bonded together Witholltrbeo ming nit p'asses along the.temples of the wearer and fleXible- The manner in Whoh the Wires are 45 hooks behind the ears, to hold the eyeglasses in looked together iS indicated Somewhat diagramplace. The temple piece shown in Fig. 1 is of a matically in Figure 5. Numeral |l', for, example, Style now in Wide usage, comprising a stii, solid indicates a region on the wires II which is forced piece known as the temple butt, indicated 'by into the inside grooves between the adjacent wires numeral I, and a relatively soft, spring assembly I3, while numeral I9 indicates, for example, .how 50` of pieces which are pre-shaped to curve behind the inner wires Il are pressed into indented forms the wearers ears and hold the eyeglasses with by the core wire 9. The regions Il and I9 are the maximum amount of comfort to the wearer, to be considered as exemplary only of the highly e indicated by numeral 3. This latter portion is complicated interlocking which takes lplace.

usually referred to as the temple bow. At the In order to obtain the unusually combined 55 properties and at the same time,a exible of a substantially unitary, bonded wire, wire, certain very `limited characteristics are demanded of the inner the optical trade. Its said poor characteristic in connection with eyeglass frames is that it corrodes readily when attacked by the perspiration which commonly exudes from every persons skin.

In spite of the fact that the inner assembly of the flexible wire, comprising the wires 9 and il, is wrapped-within a tightly swaged outer wrapping comprising the wires I3. perspiration eventually finds its way through the outer layer and attacks the inner wires, and the resulting corrosion seeps back outwardly causing greenish-colored blemishes to form on the outside. This not only spoils the otherwise good appearance of the outer surface of the flexible wire, but roughens it as well, causing considerable discomfort to the wearer. In addition this corrosive action of the acids contained in the perspiration of all persons eventually eats away the inner wires 9 and Il and weakens them to a point where they no longer have sufiicient mechanical strength to properly perform the function of supporting the optical frame on the wearers ears.

In the lpresent invention, the inner wires of the flexible Wire are made of a new alloy which has all of the desirable physical characteristics of the nickel-silver alloy heretofore used, but at the same time is corrosion proof. The alloy which has been found particularly suitable for this purpose is one composed of nickel, chromium, and iron, and usually comprises from '78% to 80% of nickel, from 12% to 14% of chromium, and from 6% to 8% of iron. An alloy having the desired characteristics is available on the market and is sold under trade-mark Inconel".

A principal characteristic of this nickel-chromium-iron alloy which makesy it suitable for use as the -inner wires of flexible wire of the Aclass herein concerned is its corrosion resistance quality. I have found that the alloy is extraordinarily resistant to the corrosion induced by human perspiration, combined with atmospheric oxidizing conditions, such as encountered in the temple bows with which the present invention is particularly concerned.

The physical qualities of this nickel-chromium-iron alloy are, for present purposes, greatly superior even to those of nickel silver. For example, the tensile strength of the nickel-chromium-iron alloy described runs from 175,000 to 200,000 pounds per square inch, while the tensile strength of nickel-silver runs from 135,000

`pounds per square inch nickel) to 160,000

pounds per square inch (30% nickel). The modulus of elasticity for the nickel-chromiumiron alloy described is about 31,000,000, while the modulus of t elasticity for 18% nickel-silver is about 14,100,000. The modulus in torsion of the nickel-chromium-iron alloy described is about 10,300,000, which is considerably a higher figure than the corresponding figure for nickel silvers. The torsional elastic limit of the nickel-chromium-iron alloy described is about 100,000 pounds per square inch. All of these factors contribute to make the nickel-chromium-ajlloy described particularly suitable for use in the manner herein indicated.

The outside wires I3 are usually made of a precious metal or the like, which is non-corrod- .ible per se, such as gold, white gold or the like.

The present invention is not concerned with the composition of said outer wires I3.

It will readily be seen that while the present invention provides a flexible, non-corrodible wire of general utility, that it is most particularly applicable to the formation of ear hooks for eyeglass frames.

If desired a plurality of inner windings or layers may be provided, wound oppositely with respect to adjacent layers.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the v several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

IA claim:

A temple bow for eyeglass frames comprising a straight portion terminated by an ear hook, said bow being made of flexible wire, said flexible wire comprising a core wire, an inner layer of wire wrapped about said core wire in one direction, and an outer layer of wire wrapped about said inner layer in the opposite direction, said outer layer comprising a non-corrodible metal, and said core wire and said inner llayer of wire comprising an alloy containing of he order of 78% to 80% nickel, 12% to 14% ch omium, and 6% to 8% iron.

VICTOR D. DAVIGNON. 

